Caesar’s First from his First Year
Hello friends, in the last post, I shared about Caesar’s health issues & how we came out of that difficult phase. In today’s post, I want to write about all of Caesar’s first from the first year with us. Our good time started in May 2015, and the way it was going, I thought nothing could go wrong then.
But by the end of the year, we had to make some tough decisions that involved keeping Caesar away from us. What happened that we had to make such a cruel decision? Read this post till the end to know the reason.
You may read Part 1 of the series here – In memory of our fur baby, Caesar!
Part 2 of the series here – How we met our fur baby, Caesar?
And Part 3 here – Caesar’s First Month & Health Issues!
But before moving onto the sad part, I want to share some of the beautiful moments from 2015. Here are Caesar’s first memorable moments –
May 2015 – It was a month of travels & meet-ups
Caesar’s First outing to India Gate
The first 15 days were exhausting for both Caesar and me. So, as soon as we got the green signal from his doctor, we planned a family picnic at India Gate, Delhi. It was a refreshing break for us.
Visited Dadi House – Long Drive
It didn’t take us long to plan another outing for Caesar since we soon realized he loved traveling just like his mom & dad. So, the next week we visited Dadi’s house to celebrate Mother’s Day.
Caesar was meeting Dadi for the first time, but surprisingly, he was quite comfortable around her. It’s true that dogs can sense our feelings & emotions for them. He loved running around Dadi, and Dadi used to spoil him with his favorite treats.
1st Month Celebration
Then came 15th May, Caesar had completed one month with us. We used to cut a cake every month to celebrate our wedding date, but this time we had one more reason to rejoice. So, we cut a cake with Caesar though he didn’t get to eat it. But he was happy!
First Bath
Caesar got his first bath after 40 days of coming home. It was a new experience for both of us. He had no idea what was about to happen to him. And, I had no idea how to handle an afraid pup. As soon as I poured the first mug of water on his body, he shrieked and ran out of the bathroom. I ran after him, almost surviving the great fall on the slippery floor.
After giving him a pep talk for a few minutes, I realized this would take a thoughtful strategy if I don’t want to develop a fear of bathing in him. Well, it worked!
How he got his first bath may not sound the right way, but we both had a fun time 😀
I took him in my lap, talked to him, comforted him, showed him his toys floating in the water & then splashed little water on him. I could tell he was enjoying & that was my cue.
Found a nice article on How to Bathe a Nervous Dog. Check it out!
June 2015 – Name & Collar, Toddlerhood, Good News, a Month away from Caesar
Caesar was now teething; he was soon to enter the toddler stage. And, he was getting naughtier by each passing day. Caesar loved running around, playing & chewing whatever he could find. His favorite pastime, just like any other pup, was chewing slippers. And his favorite toy was a 2L empty bottle of Sprite.
This month we finally named him. His chaachu had suggested the name ‘Caesar,’ which we liked instantly. And, then we got him his first collar, which he never liked wearing.
In the first week of June, we got to know that we were pregnant. I was excited that Caesar would soon be a big brother now. But I was worried too, thinking about how he would accept the new baby since he himself was too young.
You may also read – My Roller Coaster Pregnancy Story!
I guess he had already sensed it & he was not happy about it. His behavior changed, or was it me? I don’t remember exactly, but I was getting irritated at every little thing. And Caesar was doing everything to get my attention.
And then came the day when we had to leave for London for a month, leaving Caesar with his Nani. We thought it would be good for all of us. But I didn’t think about Caesar, just left him when he was craving for my attention the most!
July/Aug/Sep 2015 – Video Calls, Reunion & Good Times
The third month of my first trimester was not that good even though I had all the reasons to be happy. I missed Caesar, and the video calls were the only way to communicate with him now. I was so sick for the whole month that I spent all my time in bed. The only thing that would give me happy vibes was hubby returning from the office and watching Caesar’s funny antics on the phone.
Month-end we were back home; Caesar looked different. He was bigger and naughtier. But I noticed that he was now better at communicating his needs. He had big, beautiful, expressive eyes; I loved how he moved them when I used to talk to him as if he was trying to understand everything.
The next three months were amazing. My second trimester was smooth. Caesar helped me cope up with the pregnancy anxiety; he would always stay close to me. It seemed he knew I needed him more than anything else.
Caesar was turning out to be a handsome dog; he was curious, playful & empathetic.
Oct 2015 – Caesar’s First Road Trip to Jaipur
It was hubby’s birthday, and I planned a surprise family trip to Jaipur. But this time, we were not leaving Caesar behind. I looked for the best dog-friendly resort to make the stay comfortable for Caesar. I will share about this trip in the next part.
Dec 2015 – I had to keep Caesar away from me
In my last trimester of pregnancy, things became difficult since I was going through emotional turmoil due to changing hormones. I could not give enough time to tend to Caesar’s needs.
We could not prepare & train him in time for the new phase. Caesar was not ready; I could sense his anxiety. He was getting hyperactive & more demanding of my attention. But I couldn’t do anything to help him. To avoid any mishaps, we had to take this difficult decision to keep Caesar away for a few months at mom’s house.
I left him alone once again when he needed me. We know this was not the right decision & we definitely could have done better at training him when there was time. I wish I could go back in time!
If you are also in a similar situation like us, where you have a young dog and expecting a baby, then more than anything else, focus on training your dog. If you can’t do it yourself, hire a professional.
You have to prepare your dog for the new situation, start as early as possible, don’t leave it for later.
Your fur baby can sense the change but can’t adjust to it without your help. He may be anxious & afraid and may behave in a completely different manner, but you have to understand him.
And, please don’t keep him away from you! He needs you the most at this time.
I am doing a blog series this month in memory of our fur baby, #My_Son_Caesar.
You may read the other parts of the series here, Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3
Since this is the month of #MyFriendAlexa by Blogchatter, I will be linking all my posts to their website. Do check out the new reloaded Blogchatter website to discover some amazing blogs, bloggers, and campaigns.
Click on the below link to read the next part
How to Prepare for a Road Trip with your Dog? – Blog Series (Part-5)
I loved the dogs pics. And how awful you feel to keep him away i can’t feel it but truly it would have been tough for you. He is so cute… 😍
He would hve really missed you when you had to leave him. They are more sensitive than children. I hve had two so I know
I guess Caesar taught you some valuable parenting lessons. You learn from mistakes be it raising a human or an animal.
This was a very informative post Neha.I did think of getting a dog but since we travel a lot we didn’t want to leave him behind.Gave me a good understanding
Knowing more about Caeser make me happy.. He do thought you some amazing parenting lessons… I loved reading this post
You have beautifully captured the journey of your fur baby. Very sweet post, Neha
Your love for Caesar shines through your posts, Neha. Having a pet and managing pregnancy together can be quite difficult and I know you made the right choice. He truly is handsome and such a delight to be around!
Reading the post, I had tears welled up in eyes, it is too hard not to miss my BFF at mom’s home. I have seen and been pampered in the presence of fury friends. Leaving home at 19 years of age for a career and education has its negatives, leaving loved ones. I left Rambo (my best bud german shepherd) when he was 8 years, guess will never get the heart and strong will to adopt another. Lovely post
I’m loving this series of yours. very interesting..#tmmreads
We have two labs at home and they are just as precious as our own kids. When bringing a pet home, one must be extremely sure about what having a pet entails and that there is a responsibility involved to take care of the pets till their very end. It’s a traumatic experience elsewise, especially for the pets.
This is a heart warming story. Dogs are the most loyal and all they need is bit of attention. Want to know what happened next. Waiting for next post.
This is so heart warming, my kids will be all head over heels
It’s indeed very difficult to live with and without Dogs. They need all the care and attention in the world. But for dog parents, a life without them is unimaginable!
I could sense the turbulence of emotions while reading it out and I can feel how much you would’ve missed Caesar!
It must have been such a mixed time for you – your pregnancy and your time apart from your puppy. I can feel your conflict from your words buy you raised him so well. Congrats.
It must have been so difficult for you to leave your dog alone when you both needed each other. Very heart warming post.
I got all teary once again reading about Caesar. I can’t even imagine the pain you must be going through. It takes a lot of strength to let someone in such a personal space. Thanks for sharing your journey with us, Neha.
PS: the pictures are beautiful.
What an awwwsome memoir Neha!:)
Your pics tell what a wonderful dog lover are you! ❤️
I loved the pictures of ceaser. He looks like such a cute and adorable puppy at first and then as an older dog. It must have indeed been difficult to keep him away but as you say you had no other choice.
Sounds like a fun year, but yea sad to see that you had to take the decision to be away from him.
Aww must be difficult parting away with your pet dog. Like your narration and his chronicles.
Neha guess what we got our first fur baby on May 15, 2009 and with my parents in Delhi. The post reminded me all the days when my SIL was expecting, Thankfully he had been with us over 3 years when she delivered and he took all the change happily. Dont feel sad about leaving him, life happens and we try to do whats best. I am sure he would have loved you more when back.
Though I’m loving this series, I must say one thing. Accessing your blog from my mobile is nothing short of annoying. There are so many ads and I have to keep reloading every single time. To make matters worse, I even got a message saying that my phone is infected with virus and to click to get it repaired. I have the best antivirus software installed and I know for a fact that it’s not infected. That threw me off a little though. 😅
I thought you should know.
I am sorry that you have to face this annoying situation with the ads. We have for now removed all the ads from the page. But I am not sure about the virus message, haven’t heard about it from anyone else. Maybe you clicked on some ad or link but still, I am sure that’s not from our page. I hope you will visit our blog again & this time have a pleasant experience. Thank you.